I''ve been thinking about getting a new vehicle for a few months now. I decided that I want an SUV type, nothing huge, but something a little bigger than the car I'm driving now (2007 Chev Malibu). I'm really leaning towards either a 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe http://hyundaicanada.com/pages/showroom/showroom.aspx?model=santa%20fe or Tucson http://hyundaicanada.com/pages/showroom/showroom.aspx?model=Tucson. The Santa Fe would be the 3.5 GL AWD model, while the Tucson would be the GLS AWD model. Hyundai has a deal going on now, too, where theres no interest on payments for up to 7 years. Does anyone have any experience with those two SUV's or maybe recommend another one from a different company in a similar price range or maybe some general car buying tips? Thanks.

There's nothing really wrong with either one, and they're near the bottom of the price range for the class. You're not going to get something of significantly higher quality without paying a much higher price, so if you like how those drive and feel, go for it.

Myself, I never buy brand new cars, even when I can afford to buy them with cash. Let somebody else take the depreciation for driving it off the lot.

Only input I can offer is I love my 2004 Santa Fe and when it's time to upgrade, I'll be looking at them again. I've had no problems with it at all and while the gas mileage isn't fantastic (average 18mpg city) it's fine for me.

You pay rather substantial "soccer mom" premium for going SUV. Do you need that much of a car more than a couple times a year?

Consider Forester or Odessy.

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

I'll echo Sinij on the Subaru Forester. It's of similar size & price as the SantaFe and Subaru *was* giving out some great deals because they'd taken over all of Saturn's shops (locally at least) and wanted to drive business. You might want to give them a look.

If you don't have the hangups others do about driving a Minivan, I'd go with the Toyota Sienna over the Odyssey. The guy I know who has an Odyssey has had to put it in the shop at least 3 times in the last 3 years and it's only 5 years old. Plus the Sienna is about 3k cheaper, on average.

The only car buying advice I have is the same Dave already gave about buying new.

You pay rather substantial "soccer mom" premium for going SUV. Do you need that much of a car more than a couple times a year?

Consider Forester or Odessy.

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

Wife's father had a Santa Fé and he lives on the front range in Colorado so they get some mighty snow too. The car was horrible in the snow because it turns out that AWD is still shit if the centre of gravity is so far up that the car slides all over the place anyway. As for space, I'm about your height and I don't have significant problems getting into regular sized cars - in fact I fit with room to spare in my friend's Audi TT (which is also an AWD car as it happens). If you need hauling space then I'd suggest an AWD estate car such as one of the Audis or Subarus as the lower centre of gravity really makes a difference in shitty conditions. If you just want an AWD car and don't care about hauling space then I'd still recommend not getting an SUV, they aren't nearly as practical as they look or as safe.

Best friend's wife has a Santa Fe from 03 or so, still in great shape. We used it to move their dogs from Ohio to Seattle last year. It has to be getting close to 200k, she's with a non-profit that has her all over the city everyday. No major issues, but they kept up with maintenance pretty decently.

When we buy our next it will be either a Forester or Outback, though I wouldn't hesitate to look at the Hyundai.

You pay rather substantial "soccer mom" premium for going SUV. Do you need that much of a car more than a couple times a year?

Consider Forester or Odessy.

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

I hear you, I am 6'3 and there are some cars that I simply cannot fit into.

AWDs are very nice to have in the snow, but don't assume that AWD will automatically result in decent snow handling. I currently drive FWD manual gearbox car, and I can get through more bad weather than a lot of these SUVs. If you know how to drive stick (and know how to drive it well in the snow) you will get a lot more benefit out of it than AWD.

Also, more and more cars have an option to have AWDs. A lot of them are premium, like Mercedes 4-matic or Infinity X, but some like Subaru (all Subaru are 4WD) are not. Don't automatically assume AWD = SUV or AWD = Good Snow Handling.

For example I recently looked at Subaru and was very impressed with Forester. I had LOTS of room and plenty of headroom, actually it felt like London Cab for headroom. Car is AWD and handled well. It also had fold-down seats and lots of storage room.

Another point to consider - buying new is also a hefty premium. You will be able to get substantially more car for your buck out of 2-year used.

I personally buy all my cars new, but then I drive them for 6-8 years and can afford to buy them outright. Doing math, it only makes sense to get new if you are a) driving them for 6+ years b) don't have to pay interest of more than 1%.

I'm looking at buying a vehicle soon too and holy fuck. Saw a 2010 with 45,000mi on it, where the hell are these people driving back and forth from?

If I had to guess, I'd say they're probably salespeople or product reps. It's easy to put 100+ miles a day on a car that way. Hell, I did 75miles per day just going back and forth from the office when I worked at the north end of the city.

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

My family has an AWD caravan with 200+ HP and has more space than any SUV on the market. Do you need the extra ground clearance or what?

I just bought an SUV (2011 Toyota Highlander) and I enjoy it quite a bit. It's roomy and nice inside and out, pretty comfortable for the wife and the new baby.

I originally looked at the 2011 Foresters (I love my Outback turbo) and thought it was very utilitarian inside, *but* it has a ton of room - not as comfortable as the Highlander, but tons and tons of headroom and legroom. I'd recommend sitting/driving one if you are worried about space. They also handle very well in snow. Get the turbo version if you want it to be fun to drive. (XT model I think).

Any recommendations on a non-domestic, small SUV that I could use to haul kayaks, canoes, and the like in? My only other stipulation is that it has to have enough room in the back, that I could sleep in it (I'm 6' tall) with the seats folded down or removed.

I love my GTI, but it just isn't any good for camping and outdoor mountain trips. I'm also thinking about a tour around Canada and Alaska, so being able to sleep in it is a must.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

My family has an AWD caravan with 200+ HP and has more space than any SUV on the market. Do you need the extra ground clearance or what?

I'm single and don't have any kids. A mini-van wouldn't be very good for me. I'm just looking for something a little bigger and more winter friendly than what I have now (I still like my Malibu, great car).

You pay rather substantial "soccer mom" premium for going SUV. Do you need that much of a car more than a couple times a year?

Consider Forester or Odessy.

There are two main reasons I want to get an AWD SUV. The 1st being room. I'm 6'4 and around...270 , so I need the space. The 2nd reason is I live in western Canada. We had a big snow storm last Thurs. and its been snowing all weekend. So basically winter isn't over here until after May and having an AWD vehicle would be nice to have.

I have heard decent things about the Hyundai models. With the exception being resale value and fuel consumption (18-20 or so). The fuel consumption is mainly due to it being an AWD, and its problem across the market with AWD cars/SUVs.

So having said that (based on gas mileage) I would highly suggest you take a look at the brand new Subaru Impreza which has been announced as being the first and only AWD vehicle on the market achieving 36 MPG. They will producing it in a wagon model with the Outback Sport outfitting (for outdoor enthusiasts).

Nebu,I dont know if the roof bars come standard on the Impreza or not for carrying things, nor do I know if a six foot person could sleep in it. I can sleep in the back of my 4Runner with the rear seats folded flat, and have done so while camping with the wife before. But being a V8 my gas mileage sucks (16-18mpg highway usually).

What are you strategies for buying new cars? I try to do it in December, so sales people are desperate to +1 their sales numbers. Aside from that, I try to get close to invoice price (dealers generally get cars 3-5% below invoice price).

As a Canadian, I must say this: the GMC Safari / Chevrolet Astro is the alpha and the omega of plowing through snow like a motherfucking tank while carrying a ton of shit and leaving you enough room to sleep. It's pretty much the one vehicle that should not have been removed from GMC / Chevrolet's lineup.

And if I was a rich, I'd get the AEV Conversion, pretty much not going to touch me off road, unless I run out of gas.

I have a jeep liberty that is my daily driver and a CJ-7 that is my fun vehicle to go to Redbird or Bad Lands offroad parks.

Something to think of is finding and old blazer from 1969 to 1991 (1991 last of the straight axles and easy to work on and upgrade), heck sometimes you can find CCUV's (they were the blazers the US Army bought in diesel) for a great price. Use it when the weather is bad, then keep a fuel saver for when not.

Bad thing is, fuel economy and off-road ability are usually on opposite sides, for off road ability you want vehicle height (from ground to the lowest part of your vehicle, usually your middle of the differential), bigger tires to increase performance, beefier parts, and more parts (extra axle, transfer case), so the deck is stacked against you. Small 4x4's with small engines are not being made anymore, and the diesel engines keep getting killed in Canada and USA, plus I don't think you would feel comfortable in a smaller 4x4.

Just curious, but does anything really fit you being that tall? I know many of the guys I know over 6'4" don't feel decent unless it is a bigger car or truck, heck does Lincoln or Cadillac make them big enough anymore?

And if I was a rich, I'd get the AEV Conversion, pretty much not going to touch me off road, unless I run out of gas.

I have a jeep liberty that is my daily driver and a CJ-7 that is my fun vehicle to go to Redbird or Bad Lands offroad parks.

Something to think of is finding and old blazer from 1969 to 1991 (1991 last of the straight axles and easy to work on and upgrade), heck sometimes you can find CCUV's (they were the blazers the US Army bought in diesel) for a great price. Use it when the weather is bad, then keep a fuel saver for when not.

Bad thing is, fuel economy and off-road ability are usually on opposite sides, for off road ability you want vehicle height (from ground to the lowest part of your vehicle, usually your middle of the differential), bigger tires to increase performance, beefier parts, and more parts (extra axle, transfer case), so the deck is stacked against you. Small 4x4's with small engines are not being made anymore, and the diesel engines keep getting killed in Canada and USA, plus I don't think you would feel comfortable in a smaller 4x4.

Just curious, but does anything really fit you being that tall? I know many of the guys I know over 6'4" don't feel decent unless it is a bigger car or truck, heck does Lincoln or Cadillac make them big enough anymore?

The Chevy Malibu I currently have has enough leg and head room for me. I'm just looking for something a little...more than what I have now. I won't be using it for off roading, maybe just to go camping in the mountains (I live in Calgary and have a nice view of the Rockies every day). I'll mostly be using it to go back and forth around the city and the odd day trip to visit some relatives that live a few hours away so the AWD would be useful for that considering the type of weather we get here. Fuel economy is one of the big reasons I'm interested in the Santa Fe and Tucson, so something like a Jeep would be off the table for me.

Frankly, I've found FWD cars with good skid control (meaning they don't skid easily and are still steerable when they do) work better than AWD in the snow. The only thing AWD does for you in the snow is give you more acceleration, which can get you out of some "stuck" situations that a good driver wouldn't have gotten into in the first place, but will get you into even more bad situation and also let you break all four tires loose at once, giving up *any* control.

Good aggressive tread tires on front wheel drive and an awareness of how the vehicle will handle in a skid is more useful in practice than AWD if you're never going to leave the road, but marketing has convinced a lot of people that they really *need* it in the snow.

You've never driven in a place with hills have you? Yea tires always matter most, but you need tires and four wheels turning to get up hills.

My GTI is FWD and did just fine in the Rockies as long as I didn't high center it in deep snow. To get through windy passes, I'd just put chains on and I'd be good to go. The best part was that, as a manual, I could put it in gear when I got stuck and push it out by myself with the tires spinning. Thankfully I can still run fast enough to catch it at idle speed.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."